A very well known type of a small frame provides the two half-frames or valves being bonded between themselves along three sides while the fourth side remains free in order to allow the introduction of the photogram according to the framing operation.
According to the present state of the art, several methods and apparatuses are known for the sub-division of the photographic film in individual photograms and for the subsequent operation of framing the same. The main drawback of the methods used up to the present in the framing operation consists of the possibility of damaging the photogram during the insertion of the same in the small frame. This is due to the fact that the introduction of the photogram through the opening formed by the two free sides of the two valves facing each other and the centering of the same with respect to the two valves is made through entrainment means such as pincers or sucking means which, acting on the surfaces of the same photogram cause in general scratching and damages and in addition limit the speed of operation and production capacity of the apparatus.
A partial solution of the problems discussed hereinabove is obtained by means of framing apparatuses in which the photographic film moves in the orthogonal direction towards the open side of the two valves which are reciprocally bonded. Therefore, after the initial part of the film is inserted in the interior of the small frame, one proceeds with cutting of one piece or the photogram by means of a cutting blade which acts in the interior of the profile of the same small frame.
Thus the apparatus on one hand eliminates the means for the manipulation of the film because the film positions itself automatically in the interior of the frame due to its advance motion but it also has the drawback that the two sides of the two half frames which are facing one to the other and which are free, must be substantially diverging one from the other in order to permit the introduction of the cutting member of the film with the result that there is the possibility of a permanent inflection of the half-frames or breakage of the soldering points so that a perfect closing of the frame at the end of the operation is not obtained.